Machine for making collapsible-tube caps.



.R. L. WILOOX. MACHINE FOR MAKING 'GOLLAPSIBLE TUBE GAPS. APPLICATIONFILED SEPT. 5, 1911.

1,033,043. PatentedJuly 16, 1912.

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IJB wigs-- WIT/158858: l/WE/VIOR wwew MMy A A TTORNE V R; L. WILOOX.MACHINE FOR MAKING QOLLAPSIBLE TUBE GAPS. APPLICATION FILED arm. a,1911.

1,033,043. I Patented July 16, 1912.

WITNESL'SES: I INVENTOR 721W M I wdxuh awa By I A TTOR/VE Y R. L. vmcox.MACHINE FOR MAKING GOLLAPSIBLB TUBE GAPS APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5,1911.

1,033,043. Patented July 16,1912

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R. L. WILCOX. MACHINE FOR MAKING COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAPS.

APPLICATION FILED $11M. 5, 1911.

Patehted July 16, 1912.

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[1 IIVVENTOR wwx my A TTORIVE V R. L- WILGOX. MACHINE FOR MAKING'GOLLAPSIBLB TUBE GAPS. APPL'IOATION FILED SEPT. 5, 191 1.

' Patented July 16, 191.2.

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IWITNESSESE INVENTOR tinrrnn sra'rns PATENT ost ich RICHARD LESTERWILCOX, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WATER- BURY FARR-ELFOUNDRY AND MACHINE CUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

COMPANY, OF \VATERBURY, CONNECTL MACHINE sou MAKING COLLAPSIBLE-TUBEoars.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

Application filed September 5, 1911. Serial No. 647,750.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that-I, RICHARD Lnsrnn 71L-cox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in'thecounty ofn ew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Machines for Making Collapsible-Tube Caps,

of which the following is a specification,

' ed out in the claims.

view of the slide table with the .cent thereto; Fig. 8 1s a sectionalplan view reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a new and improved machine for makingcollapsible tube caps, and has for its object, an'iong other things, toconstruct a machine for this pur-.

pose that will be entirely automatic in its operation and capable ofproducing these caps complete, including the thread, in substantially asingle operation.

To these, and other ends, my invention consists in the collapsible tubemaking nia chine, having certain details of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and moreparticularly point- -Refei ing to the drawings, in which like numeralsof reference designate like parts in the several figures; Figure 1 is afront view of my improved machine, partly in section; Fig. 2 is anelevation ofa fractional line A-B of Fig. 1; Fig. (3 1s a fragmentaryelevation of one'cnd of'theslide table with the feed stop mechanism;Fig. 7 1s a plan parts ad a of the punch block; Fig. 9 is an elevationof the slide cam; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanismfor rotating the punch with the mechanism adjacent thereto; Fig. 11 isan elevation of the feed slide cam -Fig. 12 is an elevation of the punchlifter cam, with the rock lever actuated thereby; and Fig. 13 is an endview of the rack slide.

- In the practice of my invention I provide a frame 1, which is mountedupon a suitable standard '2, and within which is rotatably mounted thecrank shaft 3, and the reel; shaft 4, said crank shaft having a plate 5upon one end thereof, and the rock shaft having a similar plate 6. Theseplates may be made integral with the shafts cit-separate, as desired.Slidable within the ways? is the upper gate 9, and slidable within theways 8 is the lower gate 10, said upper gate being operated from thecrank shaft 3 through the connection 11, and the lower gate 1 0 from therock shaft 4 through the connection 12. A balance wheel 17, driven- -inthe usual manner by a belt, and mounted upon a. shaft 18, upon which isfixed a pinion 19,-that meshesinto and drives a gear 20 fixed upon theshaft 3, is the means by Move which said crank shaft is rotated. ment isimparted to therock shaft 4 from the crankshaft 3 through the connectionrods 13 and 14,-the rod 13 being secured at its upper end to the plate 5nected attheir inner endsto an oscillating plate 15, thatis mounted upona fixed stud 16.

Within the-lower gate 10 is the hunter collet 21 that is secured in itsseveral ad-- justable positions bythe nuts 22, which are threaded on theshank of said collet and and that-(sai at its lower end to the plateG,and both cone contact with the opposite faces of the opening 23 in saidgate (see Fig. 5). Held win in the said collet by a screw24, or othersimilar means, is the hunter 25. The upper face of the hunter is usuallyconcaved, as shown in Figs. 2 and '3, but it may bemade in any otherdesired shape, and provided with such recesses or depressions as may benecessary to produce the proper form or design for the'top of the cap.

Within the upper gate 9 is the spindle holder 26 that is secured in itsadjusted positions by the nuts 27, which are threaded upon the shankthereof and abut against the opposite faces of the slot 28 in said gate.Adjustable transversely in the head of said spindle holder is :theblock29, which is held against movement in its adjusted position by thescrews 3030,. which are threaded in the gate 9, with their heads impining against the opposite ends. of said "b ock. The punch blockdesignated by the nuteeth of win and a shank portion that projectsthrough :lr 29 into the opening in the lower 1 'ie holder 26, ofslightly larger diameter than th spindle shank. A punch 39 ed in thespindle 36, and is formed d at its lower end, of the same to thread uponthe inside of the A limited lateral adjustment o PUSI ion Oil thespindle 36 is made possible by shifting the block 29- within the spindleholder through the manipulation of the screws 30, and of the punch block31, through {the manipulation of the screws 33.

The mechanism for importing a rotary love.

mile on comprises a slide bracket 4a) that i ct -ed to the frame 1, andhaving mounts a rack slide d1, the vh mesh into the teeth of a pinionrotatably mounted upon a stud 218d in said bracket l0 and the cap 44fined thereto; and a gear l5 fixed to the pinion t2, the teeth of whichmesh into the teeth of pinion l6, rotatable upon a stud 45'", also fixedin the bracket 40 and cap lat and having connected therewith a gear 48,the teeth of which mesh into the teeth on the toothed portion 3? of thespindle 36. A reciproratory movement is imparted to the rack slide lland a rotary movement to the spindle 38 through a cam ltlthat is fixedupon a shaft 50, rotatably mounted in the frame 1, and having a gear 51thereon, that is driven from the pinionlt), a roll 52 on the rash slide41 entering the cam groove 53 in the cam/l9. A downward movement isgiven the spindle 136 by the gate 9, but it is moved upwardly,independently thereof, through the rock lever 54, that is pivotallysecured to the frame 1, and having a yoke 55 mounted in its inner end,which projects into. the annular groove in the spindle 36. The spring 56connecting said roclt lever with a fixed stud on the side of the frame1,

end of the rock lever 54 by the adjustable connecting rod 63. The spring56, which actuates the lever 54, is only of sufficient strength to raisethe spindle 36 Without creatin undue pressure upon the thread in thefinis ed cap, while the same is being withdrawn: therefrom. For thisreason the spindle is not moved upwardly by a positive cam motion,which-would be liable to strip the thread.

' Fixed to the frame 1, between the sides thereof, is the slide table64:, within which is mounted the slide 65, beneath the caps 103, andsecured in said slide by the screws 67 is the die 66. This method ofsecuring the die in a fixed position is only one 0ft many ways by whichthe same result may be accomplished, and I do not therefore, limitmyself to this form of securing means.

The hunter and die, when together, form substantially a two-part die,separable upon a line at a right angle to the axis of said hunter andthe opening in said die.

i l-reciprocating movement is imparted to the slide from the cam 68 thatis fixed upon the shaft 50; a rock arm 69 secured to the frame 1 uponthe stud 70 and having a cam roll 71 thereon, which enters the groove 72in said cam. 68; the bracket 73 fixed to the slide 65 and having a stopscrew 7-1 therein, which abuts against the outer end of the table 64, tolimit the inward movement of said slide; and a connecting rod 75 hingedat one end to the bracket 7 3, and at the other end secured to the freeend of the rock arm 69 by the block 76, which is adjustably se-- curedto said rock arm by the bolt 78 that passes through the slot 79 in saidarm, and within which the connectin rod 75 has an cndwise adjustmentthrougl the manipula tion of the nuts 77.- Also'slidably mounted in thesaid slide table, under the cups 104, is the plate 80 that derives itsmovement in one direction through the action of the sprin 81 connectedwith the cap 34 and the arm 2 fixed on said plate. Its movement in theother direction is derived from the cam 83 fixed upon the shaft 3,through a rock lever S l pivotally'sccurcd to the trams 1, having a roll85 thereon that rests upon the periphery of said cam, a roclr shaft 86mounted in the depending cars 87 upon the slide'tablc 64, having an arm88 fixed thereon that is connected with the rock lever 84 through theconnection rod 89 that has a limited adjustment in the direction of itslength by the turn buckle-90, an urrmfll also fixed to the shaft 86, anda link 92 connected with said arm 91 and the yoke stud 93% fixed insaid. plate 80. livotally connectcrl to the inner end of the plate 80 bythe screws 95 are the fingers 94 that are 'n'ovidm l'with, curvedrecesses 96 near their outer 'trce ends, which, when thuliufrcrs aretogcthcrflvifli their inner faces abutting against cachother,

form a circle slightly less than the diameter of the blank to beoperated upon. Said fingers are drawn toward each other by the spring 97and are prevented fronrmoving out of their central position by the stud98, which is fixed in the plate 80 and projects bet-ween the inner facesof said fingers.

Secured in the lug 99, integral with the,

cap 34, is the tube holder 100, and fixed in the upper end thereof isthe feed 'tube 101.

In the enter position of the plate 80, the

curved recesses 96 in the fingers 9-1 are concentric with the tubeholder 100, the fingers being held open or apart, as shown in Fig. 7, bythe contact of the pins 102 in said fingers with the outside of saidtube holder. In the inner position of said plate the recesses 96 areconcentric with the spindle 36.

I have provided means for holding the' feed slide 80 against movement,so as to stop the feeding of blanks when desired, which means comprisesa stop lever 105 fixed on the root shaft 86, and movable in the path ofthe stop arm 106 pivotally secured to the side of the feed table (lionthe stud 107, a stud 108 fixed in said table, and by reason= of itsengagement of the opposite ends of the groove 109 in the outer edge ofsaid stop arm, limits the movement thereof, and aspring 110 holding saidstop arm in either i of its extreme positions.

When the plate is moving so as to feed blanks, the end of the lcver105and the stop arm 106 are in the relative positions shown by broken linesin Fig. 6. To stop the movement of said plate, thearm 106 is broughtinto the path of the end of the lever 105 by moving the same manuallyfrom the position shown by broken lines to the position shown by fulllines, and for convenience, a handle 111 is fixed thereto for thispurpose, which also furnishes convenientmeans to secure one end of thespring 110. I

The knockout mechanism comprises a slide 112 mounted in the puiich block31 having a knockout pin 113 securedin its lower end, a lever 11 1pivotally mounted in the bracket 115 that is fixed to the slide bracket10, and having a roll 116 upon its outer end, which enters a groove inthe face of the cam 117, that is fixed upon the shaft 50. The knockoutpun sh is located coincident with the up perend of the discharge tube118 fixed to the underside of the slide table 6 1.

In operation, the blanks, in the form of circular disks, are droppedinto the feed tube 101, from which they enter.the tube tightly in therecesses 96 and it is thus carried into a position under the spindle 36.

At this time the lower gate moves n wardly and the hunter 2.5 movesinto. the position shown in Fi 's. 2 3 and 5 that is with its' uppersurface in contact-with the lower face of the die 66. At the same'tilnethespindlc 3(3is1noved downwardly and forces the disk through theopening in the .dieand forms the completed blank, as shown in Figs. 2-and? As soon ast-he punch 39 engages the 94. After the blank is formed,the upper gate mdves upwardly without the"spindle 36, which is returnedby the action of the lever as, as above described, and while he.-

ing returned is rotated through the engagement of the gear 48 with thetoothed portion 37, this action unscrewing the punch from the threadformed in the cap. While these arts are niovin' as 'ust described thelower gate, and with it the hunter, is I moved to its down posit-ion.After the punch has been withdrawn so that the lower '95 end thereof isabove the top of the slide (35,

movement is imparted to said slide so as to bring the die 66 intoregister with the knockout pin 113, which then moves downwardly andknocks the finished cap out of the die into the discharge tube 118, fromwhich it drops into a receptacle c0nv-en-' iently arranged to receiveit. The slide'65 is now returned to the position wherein the die is inregister with the spindle 36. The bore at the lower end of the die 66 isprovided with grooves so as to produce a knurled periphery upon thefinished cap and the lo'weredge of said die is coincident with the edgeof said knurled portion, so

that there will be no marring of said knurled portion by reason of thefailure of She banter to register exactly with the said In Fig. 2 I haveshown one type of cap that may be constructed in my machine, and in Fig.3 a modified form thereof with an inwardly projecting valve, but otherforms may be produced equally as well by merely changing the form of thelower end of the punch and the upper end of the hunter.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within myinvention, aside from those herein suggested, and 1f would thereforehave it understood that ldo; not limit myself tothe exact constructionherein shown and described, but claim all that:

falls fairlv within the spirit and'scbpe of Having described myinvention, what I l merit and operation of the several parts being suchthat at the completion of the movement of said punch-- toward saidhunter, a cup or similar-structure will have been formed within said dieand in part surrounding said punch, with a portion thereof of largerdiameter than the body thereof,

.said enlarged portion being at the end of said die opposite to the endthrough which the blank enters;

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a die,having anopening therethrough, enlarged at that end thereof opposite tothe end through which the blank enters said opening; of a movablehunter, arranged so as to abut against the. face oi said die and closethe said opening at its enlarged end; and a punch, threaded at its lowerend, movable .in and out of said die and entering said opening at itssmaller end.

. 3. The combination with a; two-part the, one of said parts having anopening-therethrough that is enlarged at that end thereof opposite tothe end through which the blank enters said opening, and the other partof said die being movable toward and away from the first part andclosing said enlarged open end; and a punch movable 1n and. out; of saidopening through its smaller end and toward and away from the said secondpart of said two-part the, the ar- Jnagement and operation of theseveral 45 parts being such that atthe completion of the movement ofsaid punch toward the second part ot said twopart-die, a cup or similarstructure will have been' formed within said die and in part surroundingsaid punch, with a portion thereof of larger diameter than the bodythereof, said enlarged portion being at the end of said die .opposite tothe end through which the blank enters.

4.111 a machine of the character described, the combination with a die,having.

an opening therethrough, said openiiiig being enlarged at the bottomthereof; of ti hunter arranged so as to abut against the bottom face ofsaid die and close the opening'therethrougxh; 'a punchmovahle in and outof said die toward and away from said hunter; means for moving saidpunch into said die without rotation; and means for moving said punchout of said die and im ing an openingtherethrough, said opening beingenlarged at the bottom thereof; of'a bunter arranged so as to abutagainr'st the bottom face of said die and close the openingthereth-roi'lghg a punch movable in'and out of said die toward and awayfrom said bunter: means for moving said punch into said die without,rotation; and yielding means for moving punch out of die and imparting;a rotary movement thereto at one and the same time. 1

6. In a machine of the character dc scribed, he combination with a die,having an opening therethrough, said o iieningheenlarged at the bottomthereof; oi? a lmnter arranged so as to abut against the bottom face ofsaid die and close the opening therethrough; a punch movable in and outof said die toward and away from said hunter: means "for moving; saidpunch into said die without rotation; a spring actuated lever, forwithdrawing said punch from said die; and means for rotating said punchwhile being withdrawn.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a die,having an opening therethrough, said opening being enlarged at thebottom thereof; of a hunter arranged so as to abut against the'hottomface of said die and close the opening there" die toward and away fromsaid hunter; nean s for moving said punch into said die withoutrotation; a spring actuated lever, for withdrawiu said much from saiddie and a means for witlulrawing sa d punch from 195 scribed, thecombination with a solid die,

having an opening therethrough enlarged at its lower end; of a huntermovable toward and away from said die, and when in. contact therewith,closing said,enlarged open end; a punch, that enters said die without 5rotation and rotates while beingwithdrawn therefrom; and means forejecting the tin: ished artielefrom said die.

9. In means for forming metal caps, or

c r o a l similar articles, having an enlargement ad 1 ncent'to the endthereof, and anintcrnally threaded shank, the combination with a soliddie, having an opening therethrongh of substantially the same shape as ahection of saidarticle up to the end of said enlarge- 12s ment, saidenlarged portion of said opening being at the lower end of said die; ofa bi liter, having a depression; in the upper face thcrcnt'corresponding in hhape with the'end of said article; means for moving13o through a punch movable in and out off said 103 said bunter towardand away "from said die; and a punch-having a threaded lower end,movable into said die without rotation, and withdrawn therefrom with arotary movement.

10. in a machine of the character described, the coml'iiinition withadie; of a punch: means "for moving said punch into said die withoutrotationfand means for rotating said punch while the same is beingwithdrawn from the said die, said. means cinnprising a reciprocatingrack and intermediate gears and. pinions between said rack and saidpunch.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with aslide; of means for imparting a reciprocat'ory movement thereto atpredetermined periods a die fixed therein; a plate, having areciprocatory movement parallel with said slide but independentlythereof; a spindle mounted in a fixed part; a punch connected with saidspindle; means for moving said spindle in one direction withoutrotation; means for rotating said spindle while being moved in theopposite direction; means, for deliver ing blanks to said slide; carrierlingers pivotally connected with said plate, having recesses near theirouter free ends; means" tor separating said fingers to receive a blankfrom said blank delivering means; a hunter, with its axis substantiallycoincident with the aXis of sz-id punch; and means for moving the sametoward and away from said die.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a die;of a punch; means for moving said punch into said die without rotation;and means for rotating said punch while the same is being withdrawn fromthe said die.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a die;of a punch; means for moving said punch into said die without rotation;and cam means for rotating said punch while the same is being withdrawnfrom the said die.

lak'lhe combination with a die, having. an opening tlu-rethrtmgh,enlarged at one end; of a hunter; a punch; means for moving said punchinto and out of the opening in said die, and through the smaller endthereof; and means tor actuating said end; of a hunter; a punch; meansfor n1ov-',65

ing said punch into and out of the opening in said die, and through thesmaller end thereof; means for actuating said bunter whereby it may bemoved toward and away from said die and held against the face thereofand cover thesaid opening at its enlarged end while saidipunch is movingin said opening in one direction, whereby the metal as it is forcedthrough said opening by said punch will be spread outwardly to fill theenlarged portion of said Openin after it contacts with said banter;il-IIC means for ejecting the finished articles from the die, at the endthereof opposite to the end from which the blank enters said die.

1b. 1' n a machine for forming, from a piece of llat metal, cups, orsimilar articles,

having a plurality of out-side diameters, the' larger or said diametersbeing adjacent to the end thereof opposite to the open end,

the combination with a die having an opening therethrough, enlarged atthat end thereof opposite to the end through which the blank enters saidopening; of a movable hunter arranged so as to abut against the face ofsaid the and close the said opening at its enlarged end; and a punchmovable in and out of said die and entering the said opening at itssmaller end, so thatatthecompletion of its stroke toward said buntei,the said cup is completed, with that portion thereof having the enlargeddiameter adjacent to the end of said punch and that portion thereof ofsmaller diameter surrounding said punch.

in testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.Y

RICHARD LESTER \VHJCOX. Witnesses Gmrroiu) ln'rrra nAN,

Gno. F. BYAM,

